Rugby News
Played internationally in union and league
Led BBC coverage for 38 years
Ray French, the former rugby league commentator, has died at the age of 85. He had been living with dementia.
He played internationally in union, winning four caps in the second row for England in 1961, before moving to league and joining his home town club, St Helens, that year and helped them win the Challenge Cup in 1966. He appeared four times for Great Britain, in 1968.
Continue reading...Tom Curry’s recovery tackling was crucial while Will Skelton demonstrated what Australia missed in first Test
Tom Wright A performance of swaggering confidence featuring a try, dynamic running to set up attacks and a punishing 50:22. Set the tone for his side from the back. 8
Continue reading...A gripping second test and series was won by the last play of the match in Melbourne
The officials for this match:
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Television Match Official (TMO): Eric Gauzins (France
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Continue reading...More than 1,000 players from both codes taking action
Solicitor under ‘misapprehension’ about responsibilities
The judge presiding over the two brain injury lawsuits in rugby league and union has issued an extraordinary criticism of the solicitor acting on behalf of the injured players, saying that he had been under a “misapprehension” about his responsibilities and that “he seems to have a problem with the English language”.
Senior master Jeremy Cook said that Richard Boardman, whose firm Rylands Garth is representing more than 1,000 players across both codes, had failed to disclose material to the defendants, World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union, the Welsh Rugby Union, and Rugby Football League.
Continue reading...The Brisbane Broncos assistant coach on the Lions, union’s struggle in Australia and that World Cup fight
Ben Te’o emerges from Brisbane Broncos’ headquarters, umbrella in one hand and walking a little gingerly. As we head for the cafe at the Broncos’ lavish training base, where Te’o is now an assistant coach, he explains he has just spent two nights in hospital due to a burst appendix. To his great credit, he still felt obliged to meet, and he is good company. It is entirely complimentary to remark that Te’o has never struck as an overly complicated person. He says it how he sees it. And there is plenty to say.
It is 8am, the day before the first British & Irish Lions Test in Brisbane. Te’o has been in demand of late, for the local press wants to know how the Lions measures up against NRL’s State of Origin and the former England centre is the only man to both represent the former and play in the latter.
Continue reading...The Red Devils are showing spirit and improving on the field, but they may still finish the season on zero points
For much of last Friday’s game at Leeds, no one could possibly think they were watching one of the worst teams in rugby league history. Salford eventually sank to a 40-6 defeat, a harsh scoreline given they were the better side in the first half and conceded 18 points in the 10 minutes they had a man sin-binned. Despite a week of huge upheaval – players threatening a strike, crisis meetings with the Rugby Football League and a squad stripped by injuries of another three senior players – Salford competed heroically.
It was another spirited display after their victory over Castleford – just their second win of the season – but coach Paul Rowley is not expecting things to keep getting better over the remaining eight rounds of the season. Wages are due next week, with some players extremely concerned that, once they play the final game of the campaign at home to Wakefield on 19 September, they may not receive the final two paychecks of their contracts. Threats of a strike were quashed after a meeting with the RFL, but the players know they face an uncertain future.
Continue reading...Four decades have passed and we’re still reminiscing about Taylor v Davis, Boris Becker, Sandy Lyle … and a lot more
I’ve been putting this off for years, but the recent Live Aid nostalgia has pushed me over the edge. We’ve all had the debate in the pub about the greatest sporting year – no, just me then? – so I’m here to argue the case for 1985. After 40 years, it is time to tell 1985 that I’m crazy for you.
There are, of course, many factors involved when it comes to picking your favourite sporting year. Allegiance matters. Therefore, Manchester United winning a treble, Europe collapsing in the Ryder Cup and Australia winning two World Cups means I don’t want to party like it’s 1999. Yet pushing all this irrational stuff to one side, there can be no doubting the credentials of 1985.
Continue reading...It may open the Lions to accusations of parochialism, but there is a compelling case for staying in Europe
It may be too early to start asking existential questions about the British & Irish Lions but, sitting in Melbourne’s Southbank, slap bang in the middle of Aussie rules territory, where union makes barely a ripple, you begin to wonder. The sea of red will roll in at the weekend but, for now, Melbourne is pretty much oblivious. “Some kind of carnival on I think,” was one taxi driver’s assessment.
None of this is to criticise Australia. It is a wonderful country, sports mad and as the loosehead prop James Slipper says of the locals: “They’re still Australian, so they’ll be there. I know they’ll be there. It’s one thing about this country, regardless of the sport, they’ll get behind the national colours.”
Continue reading...Scotland coach tasked with reviving Welsh fortunes
‘Becoming head coach of my country is a massive honour’
Wales have appointed Steve Tandy as their new head coach. The 45-year-old Welshman will become the permanent successor to Warren Gatland on 1 September following almost six years as Scotland’s defence coach.
Tandy is tasked with reviving his country’s fortunes after their record 18-match losing run finally ended on 12 July with a 31-22 victory over Japan in Kobe. His first match in charge will be on Sunday 9 November against Argentina in Cardiff, which will be followed by meetings with Japan, New Zealand and the world champions, South Africa, on the following three weekends.
Continue reading...Veteran calls for history to repeat after being part of fightback in 2013
Australia boosted by return of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton from injury
Steely Wallabies veteran James Slipper is urging his battered troops to block out the “noise” as they look to stop the Lions juggernaut in their do-or-die second Test in Melbourne.
The series is on the line at the MCG on Saturday night with Slipper offering a unique perspective in the current Australian line-up as the only player to have taken part in two series.
Continue reading...Joe McCarthy was a revelation alongside Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry for the Lions, while Tom Lynagh had a brave debut for the Wallabies
Tom Wright Kicked well from hand and covered the myriad Lions attacks as best he could. Not at fault in any way for the scores conceded. 6
Continue reading...Andy Farrell’s Lions eased to victory in the first Test, leading 24-5 before Australia rallied to make the score respectable
The crowd count us down and Finn Russell boots the test series under way.
Officials for this match:
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia) & Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Television Match Official (TMO): Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
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Continue reading...Australia’s No 8 says team will try to ‘win every moment’ on Saturday
Nick Champion de Crespigny and Tom Lynagh come into injury-depleted squad
Australia captain Harry Wilson said the Wallabies were confident of beating the British & Irish Lions in the first Test at Lang Park on Saturday despite being heavy underdogs after losing several key players to injury.
The Wallabies have won only four of their last 11 Tests and on Saturday will be without regular fly-half Noah Lolesio and their best Test player of the last two years, loose forward Rob Valetini.
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